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CINCINNATI — Some Ohio colleges are preparing students for a boom in the drone industry once the
federal government — as is expected — allows civilian unmanned aircraft to fly in U.S.
airspace.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimates that as many as 7,500 commercial drones could be
flying in national airspace within a few years, and the agency has until 2015 to present a plan for
safely integrating drones into U.S. airspace.

At least two Ohio schools — Sinclair Community College in Dayton and Kent State University — are
training students for jobs using the technology.

Like the University of North Dakota, Kansas State University and others around the country, the
Ohio schools aren’t waiting for the go-ahead to ready students for employment in the industry.

“Our job is to be sure we are preparing the workforce to meet the jobs that are coming,” said
Deb Norris, vice president of workforce development and corporate services at Sinclair.

Concerns about privacy and security issues still pose potential hurdles for the drone industry,
but Ohio schools expect even more educational avenues to emerge.

“There are all kinds of opportunities with this technology,” said John Duncan, an assistant
professor of aeronautics at Kent State, in northeastern Ohio.

The Ohio Board of Regents said Sinclair and Kent State are the only Ohio schools known to have
formal degrees or certificate programs in unmanned aerial systems, but schools including Ohio State
University, the University of Cincinnati and Wright State University near Dayton are heavily
engaged in drone research.

Kent State will begin offering a minor degree in unmanned aircraft systems next fall. It will
focus on systems, design and operational aspects, although specifics on drone operations will
depend on the FAA, Duncan said.

“Like other schools, we are waiting to see what they allow,” he said.

Sinclair offers a certificate program for those seeking entry-level technical positions
involving unmanned aerial systems. It hopes to add a two-year degree program after the FAA plan is
cleared.

Nearly 60 students have taken the introductory unmanned aerial systems course that started in
2012, said Andrew Shepherd, director of Sinclair’s program. Students in the program learn about
air-traffic control communications, meteorology and data analysis, among other subjects.

Shepherd said the school recently added an online course to teach students how to apply for FAA
approval to fly drones, and Sinclair plans more online courses.

Two Sinclair students slated to receive unmanned aerial systems certificates this spring are
eager to start.

Ryan Palm, a 31-year-old flight attendant from Vandalia, wants to be a pilot — but not for an
airline. He said combining the private pilot’s license he is getting along with his certificate
should prepare him for various jobs once the market for drone operators exists.

“It looks like this technology will be the next big thing, and I want to be ahead of the curve,”
said Palm.

Sinclair student Drew Tait, 21, of New York City, hopes his certificate will give him an edge
toward landing a job as a first responder with the New York City Fire Department.

“I think UAS will be used a lot for things like checking for possible toxins in fires and
searching for victims, and I want to be ahead of the pack,” Tait said.

Sinclair also offers a course on how to apply drones to precision agriculture, which generally
involves surveying fields with an eye toward improving crop yields, applying treatments more
precisely and detecting diseases early.

Clark State Community College in Springfield also plans a program focusing on analysis of
agricultural data produced by drones or other sensor equipment.